Well It Happened . . .

[CaptainQuintero]

You're forgetting that it's for our own good; we aren't smart enough to know what's good for us.

[Overproof]

Is it tru that Aust Duty Free you are now only allowed 50g of Cigars from the once 250g from Aug 31?

[canadianbeaver]

Here is the article,

http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/story/2012/08/14/australia-cigarette-labels.html

Says nothing about cigars, only cigarettes. What implications does this have on cigars, which come from outside the country? Would they have to be repackaged? They are not sold at general retail potentially to children are they?

[chr0nic]

Here is the article,

http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/story/2012/08/14/australia-cigarette-labels.html

Says nothing about cigars, only cigarettes. What implications does this have on cigars, which come from outside the country? Would they have to be repackaged? They are not sold at general retail potentially to children are they?

I believe El Prez uploaded a PDF a while back with the new rules pertaining to cigars... boxes will be all white, tubes will be green, with standardised fonts detailing what the contents is... if I can find the PDF \ link I'll post it.

[canadianbeaver]

I believe El Prez uploaded a PDF a while back with the new rules pertaining to cigars... boxes will be all white, tubes will be green, with standardised fonts detailing what the contents is... if I can find the PDF \ link I'll post it.

No need to dig, I guess I missed that. I wonder who pays to repackage, or is that done at the source in Cuba? We have cigarette packaging unique to Canada I know, with ghastly photos and English/French, but the contents are from the US or Canada and not as fragile?

Also, packages are now hidden in cabinets, you cannot even see them at retail anymore, so who cares what the packages look like?

[El Presidente]

Here is the article,

http://www.cbc.ca/ne...tte-labels.html

Says nothing about cigars, only cigarettes. What implications does this have on cigars, which come from outside the country? Would they have to be repackaged? They are not sold at general retail potentially to children are they?

Cigars are to be treated no differently to cigarettes.

I think it is safe to assume that every Health Department in the World will this morning be discussing the issue with the Health Minister. Everyone in these departments want to be "the toughest" on tobacco in the world. A new benchmark has been set. Legislation writtten. High Court Challenge Dismissed.

The Tobacco Companies were seeking compensation of Billions of dollars for loss of trademark. They knew that if they could get the Oz government to pay a huge price it would deter both this legislation and like legislation around the world.

It hasn't happened. I think they will end up paying the Governments costs. Precedent has been set. I foresee perhaps 50 countries with mirror legislation tabled before the end of this year.

It is not the end of the world. We are well prepared.

[Scdalak]

So depressing.... I think we need a spontaneous LFTH tonight to ease the pain.... What do you say Smithy???

[canadianbeaver]

Holy cow.

So each cigar has a cover band on the original band in the box to cover it. 25 or 50 times. And that means that someone is going to handle each cigar to do this? This is why you say you are prepared... I GET IT.

THANK YOU ROB.

[CaptainQuintero]

I could be wrong but i think Rob said in his vid a few weeks back that Cuba won't be having any part in it, importers in Aus will have to remove all bands and place a plain green band on to replace it, with Gvt approved font printed on to say what the cigar is. Boxes will be ditched for a plain green box with Gvt approved font on the outside saying whats inside, complete with health stickers on the outside.

[canadianbeaver]

That sounds like peeling a banana and putting it in a sock to me

[Hollywood414]

You're probably right. But...doesn't every swig of alcohol basically kill a million brain cells? Does tobacco do the same thing? I wonder what the outcry would be if fancy wine bottles got covered in olive green generic labels?

That's was my point! Not that I think they should do that with alcohol as well it's just a double standard IMO.

[Hollywood414]

I really hope this type of legislation isn't passed in the U.S. First Obama Care and now the possibility of this? I'm starting to think my country is worrying about the wrong issues. Actually, I know they are and I'm worried how far it will actually go. Before you know it it's a totalitarian state. No one should be forced to do anything just because the governments says so, no matter how good or bad it might be for that person. That is not freedom.

[AndrewNR]

Soon enough we're all going to have to attend herfs at undisclosed locations using alias's, masks and alibis

[Rushman]

We should all move to a "Habanos survival compound" and wait for armageddon.

---

I am here: http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=20.631662,-87.070676

[OZCUBAN]

I really hope this type of legislation isn't passed in the U.S. First Obama Care and now the possibility of this? I'm starting to think my country is worrying about the wrong issues. Actually, I know they are and I'm worried how far it will actually go. Before you know it it's a totalitarian state. No one should be forced to do anything just because the governments says so, no matter how good or bad it might be for that person. That is not freedom.

I think Freedom can be a bit of an Illusiion,sometimes I think the Freedom/police state/Nanny state line can be thin at times

Especially over here in OZ

[sblevit]

I don't understand why Oz simply did not outlaw all tobacco products.

[OZCUBAN]

I don't understand why Oz simply did not outlaw all tobacco products.

I hope not

[isa]

Yup, read it in our newspaper today - more and more clampdown on smokers

[MatthewB]

The cigarette companies have one card left to play.

Stop selling their product for a short period of time (couple of months) wear the hurt initially and wait for the government to lose out on all its tax revenue and come crawling back.

Will never happen but just a thought.

[canadianbeaver]

^^^^ now that would be interesting!!!

[Justmi]

I think the hardest thing to bear is having something that means so dear to us being trampled on my someone else's ignorance. "Cigars, ah they are the same as cigarettes." Its sad to see signs that the UK will go the same way as Australia. Our only defense is if some stogie smoking MP puts his stick down and interferes.

I'll get lynched for saying this, but here goes: We still get our cigars. Through our friendly cigar online retailer, we still get genuine habanos just with the packaging tampered with. I'll miss the bands and romance of the colourful boxes, but the smoking experience won't change.

Do they put olive green bands on the cigars, and if so do the LE and RE editions get double green bands? Classy!

[Vortigan]

Another thing that I bet the self righteous anti-tobacco Nazis haven't considered is that it'll be them,just as much as us,that will be asked to make up the lost government revenues if they get what they ultimately want.

[Dbone]

I don't understand why Oz simply did not outlaw all tobacco products.

Because the government needs their tax dollars. Typical hypocritical government policy. So basically the message is, this is going to kill you and make all these bad images happen to you (stickers)... but the business tax it generates is to much to actually close down... so they hope their message isn't really received because if sales decline = tax revenue decline = budget shortfalls... which no politician wants to be part of.

Or something like that LOL

It really makes no sense but some politician is the "cock in the hen house" tonight on this policy feeling they've really made a meaningful impact on society. I mean, how many times has packaging persuaded your purchasing decision LOL In some demented way, the new packaging may actually persuade new sales due to its extra added taboo.

[rckymtn22]

I was listening to CBC radio yesterday, they has some so called expert scientist blathering on about how great the plain packaging is. He went on to say, "In tests people picked the nice shiny package over the dull green package". NO XXXX, most humans are going to take the shiny over the dull. Plain packaging is not going to stop people from smoking.

[canadianbeaver]

"Most humans are going to take the shiny over the dull"

Ergo I married Matthew and not his brother.